Machine for bulging tank-heads.



J. D. MURPHY, DEO'D. 1 n. n. a M. N. MURPHY, EXEUUTORS. MACHINE FORBULGING TANK HEADS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1908.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911,

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mcnmn r03 Edwina TANK-Ennis.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J'am1ary 22, 1908. Serial No 412,143.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known that JOHN D. MURPHY, de-

ceased, late a citizen of the United States,

residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, didinvent new and useful Improvements in Machines for Bulging Tank-Heads,of which the following is a specification. Y

The invention relates to machines for bulging tank-heads.

In this art it has heretofore been com mon practice .to bulge flangedheads by hammering and also to shape them in machines comprising maleand female formers or dies. A11 objection to the hammering method is,that the metal is not evenly distributed throughout the head so thatportions thereof may be weaker than others,

and the head will be irregular in shape and will not endure the pressureor strains that a head, in which the metal is evenly and uniformilydistributed, will. An objection to the method in which male and femaledies are employed, is that the dies are costly The invention consistsprimarily in providing a machine for bulging a blank which has'beenheatedto render the metal thereof ductile, by fluid under pressure,such as air, to force, the metal of the face of the blank intoconcavo-convex shape, While the metal is still ductile, thus avoidingentirely the employment of a powerful and expensive die-operating pressand the male die as heretofore.

The invention further consists in the several novel features hereinafterset forth and more particularly defined by claims atthe conclusionhereof.

Inthe drawings: Figure-1 is a central vertical section of a bulgingmachine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan, a portion of the wallof the upper member being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail section on anenlarged scale illustrating the position of the blank after it has beenbulged.

, Patented Dec.26,1911.

The improved machine comprises a lower memberlO which is mounted on legs11.

Said member comprises an annulus 12 hav-' ing a vertically extendingflange or rim 13,

vand a bottom plate 14 secured .to the an-. nulus by rivets 15,thebottom Mbeing preferably formed'of heavy plate metal, for the sakeQflightneSsand strength; This lower member serves as a' die fordetermining the shape of the blank and is adapted to receivea blank 16provided with a sideflange 17 This blank consists of a plate which hasbeen previously shaped to provide the cylindrical side-flange 17 wherebythe head is usually secured in a cylinder or tank. .Before placing theblank in the diemember 10 it is heated to render the metal ductile underpressure. The bottom of die-member 10 is of concave form, correspondingto'the bulge to be placed on the head of the blank. Resultantly, whenfluid under pressure is applied to the upper face of the heated blankthe head-portlon -16 of the blank will be forced downwardly and given ashape corresponding to the bottom of the die-member 10. Holes 18 areformed in the bottom-plate 14 to permit the air to escape as the blankis being bulged, and also to permit scale or dirt or'chips to fallthrough the bottom.

The machine comprises an upper-member 20 having a fluid-chamber 22therein, and adapted to be connected to the lower or diemember bypivoted clamp-screws 21 and whereby a blank placed between the memberswill be clamped therebetween to secure the same in die-member, andfurthermore the upper member will be pressed into en-' gagement with theblank so that air under pressure will be confined above the heatedblankin chamber 22 of the upper member. Member 20 comprises an annulus23, a top 24 preferably formedof plate metal and secured by rivets 25 tothe-annulus 23, and a rim or flange 26 adapted to pass within theside-flange of the blank, and to said rim is secured, by bolts 28, aliner or gasket 27. This liner or gasket is made of insulating material,such as asbestos, which is slightly yielding so that the upper memberwill bev secured into engagement with the blank while the metal isductile and thus a suitable' air-tight joint will be provided betweenthe blank and the chamber-member 20. This insulating liner isfurthermore to engage theblank adjacent the 'Nflange; 17 so that as theblank is bent,'the

tosupply air under pressure to chamber 22,

bein connected by a-flexible tube 33 so said mem er may be placed intoand out of operative-position, to a suitable source of airsupply, suchas a reservoir or tank, containing compressed air under the necessarypressure. A valve 34 is provided for controlling 20 the supply of fluidto the chamber above'the blank. A pressureage is provided so thepressure of the uid in chamber 22 may be determined. A safety-valve 36of usual and suitable construction is also connected 25 to the uppermember 20 to prevent excesslve ressure from being supplied to the cham-The operation of the machine will be as follows: Aflanged blank providedwith side- 80 flange 17 which has been previously heated to render itductile, is placed into the concave or female die-member 10 when theupper member 20 is removed. Next, the upper member is clamped intoposition illustrated 36 in the drawings.

then be securely clamped between the upper'and lower members of themachine and insulating-liner 27 will engage the blank adjacent theflange 17 of the blank, forming an air-tight joint between thechamber-member 20 and the top' of the blank, and will also clamp theblank in the lower member or female die so that the air-tight joint willbe retained. With the blank thus clamped in the machine, valve 34 willbe manipulated to cause air under suflicient pressure to enter chamber22, whereupon the ductile metal of the head-portion 16 of the blank willbe gradually bulged and forced downwardly into shape determined by theconcave bottom ofdie-member 10. During this bulging operation, the liner27 will cause the airtight joint between the blank and the pneu maticmember 20to be retained. When the blank has been bulged as illustratedin Fig. 3, the supply of air will be cut ofl and. the air in the chamber22 will be exhausted therefrom, either by means of a port in valve 34 orby loosening bolts 21 to open the joint be- 60 tween the bulged blankand the liner 27 on member 20. The latter member can then be lifted outof the bulged head and the latter removed so the operation may berepeated.

The invention provides a simple, inex- The heated blank will may bemodified within the scope of the appendedbclaims without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

Having. thus described the invention, what 'we claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. -A machine for shaping metallic tank heads comprising the combinationof a diemember adapted to receive and hold a heated flanged blank-andfordeterminin the bulge of the head, a member rovide with a pneumaticfluid-chamber flbr causing fluid under pressure to forcethe heated blankagainst the die while the metal of the blank is ductile, and means forengaging the heated blank adjacentthe flange thereof to provide asuitable connection between the chambered member and the blank.

2. A machine for shaping metallic tankheads, comprising the combinationof a diemember adapted to receive and hold a heated blank havingaside-flan e thereon and for determining the bulge o the head, a memberprovided with a pneumatic fluidchamber for causing fluid under pressureto force the heated blank against the diemember while the metal of theblank is ductile, and means onsaid members respectively for engaging theheated blank adjacent the flange thereof and on opposite sides thereofrespectively. Y

3. A machine for shaping metallic tankheads comprising the combinationof a diemember having a concave wall and a flange around said wall andadapted to receive a flanged heated blank, a member provided with apneumatic fluid-chamber for causing fluid under pressure therein toforce the heated blank against the concave wall while the metal of theblank is ductile, and

means on said chamber-member adapted to pass into the blank and toengage it adjacent the flange of the blank. Q

4. A machine for shaping'metallic tank-" heads comprising thecombination of a diemember provided with a concave wall and a flangearound said wall and "adapted to receive a flanged heated blank, amember provided with a pneumatic fluid-chamber for causing fluid underpressure therein to force the heated blank against 1' the concave wallwhile the metal of the blank is du'ctile, and means for holding .themembers together so the blank will be clamped therebetween.

5. A machine for shaping metallic tankheads comprising the combinationof a diemember provided with a concave wall and a flange around saidwall for receiving a for engagin heated blank having a side-flange, amember provided with a pneumatic fluid-chamber for causing fluid underpressure therein to force the metal of the heated blank against theconcave wall while the-metal of. the blank is ductile, insulating-meansthe blank adjacent its flange, and means or clamping the the members. I

, 6. A machine for shaping metallic tank- 4 heads comprising thecombination of a base-member having a concave bottom for determining thebulge of the head, a mov able member provided with a pneumaticfluid-chamber for causing fluid under pressure therein to force themetal of the heated blank againsttheconcave bottom while the metal ofthe blank is ductile, means for supplying fluid under pressure to saidfluid-chamber, and means on said movable member for engaging a flangedblank ad jacent its flange, and means for clampin the members together.

7. A machine for shaping metallic tankheads comprising the combinationof a diemember provided with a concave wall and a flange around saidWall and for determining the bulge of the head, a member provided with apneumatic fluid-chamber blank between for causing fluid under pressuretherein to force a heated blank against the concave wall while the metalof the blank is ductile, said chamber-member being provided with aflange or rim for engaging a flanged blank adjacent its flange, meansfor sup lying fluid under pressure to said cham er, and means forholding the members together.

8.-A machine for shaping metallic tankheads comprising the combinationof a diemember provided with a concave wall and a flange around saidwall and for determining the bulge of the head, a member provided with apneumatic fluid-chamber for causing fluid under pressure therein toforce the heated blank against the concave wall while the metal of theblank is ductile, an insulating ring on said chamber-member for engaginga heated blank, and means for holding the members together so a blankwill be clamped therebetween.

EVERETT N. MURPHY, MERRITT N. MURPHY, Ewecutors of the estate of John D.Murpity, deceased. Witnesses: FRED GERLACH,

LEONE S. RUSSELL.

